[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 12743]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           MEDICAL RIGHTS ACT

  (Mr. KIRK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, many are concerned about waiting lines that 
would come with a government health care program, and their fears are 
well-founded. Canada and Europe restrict care for patients, especially 
the elderly.
  The President has outlined three principles for his bill: lower cost, 
choice and access. I support these goals; and to back them, the 
President should also endorse the Medical Rights Act.
  Congressman Dent and I will introduce the Medical Rights Act 
tomorrow. Our legislation is founded on this: The Congress should make 
no law that blocks the decisions of American patients made with their 
doctor.
  If patients are our prime focus, then their rights should be 
protected in law. If we do not enact the Medical Rights Act, patients 
will be at risk when the government denies care, as routinely happens 
in Canada.
  Once denied government care, many Canadians find doctors in America. 
If Congress orders the government to take over America's health care 
system, then where will we be able to drive once denied from a 
government health care system?
  To prevent the mistakes of Canada and Britain, Congress should enact 
the Medical Rights Act.

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